Since 2019, Tunisia has been struggling with a drought that has left most of its dams and reservoirs almost empty and, with rising temperatures and longer summers, is placing more pressure on already depleted groundwater sources. Five weeks ago, the Ministry of Agriculture announced the introduction of a quota system for piped potable water, which meant that authorities would begin cutting the supply to households every night.
But experts and observers believe that the government’s focus on rationing water is pointless because most of the country’s supply goes to one major sector; agriculture. The agricultural sector consumes more than 80 per cent of Tunisia's water reserves, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation.
Citrus and date cultivation alone accounted for more than half of the country’s water consumption in 2021 — about 320 million m3 a year for citrus crops and 300 million for dates, according to the Ministry of Agriculture’s annual water report. In comparison, Tunisian households consumed about 500 million m3 that year.
Source: thenationalnews.com